Scattered Bay
Return to Sellederre Empire "Across the waters was heard a calm as the wind itself ceased, hoping to hear the sound of a lute that would defy the Gods..." : - Uermont the Bard, on his first voyage across the Scattered Bay. Location Region The Scattered Bay is a wide shallow stretch of water separating the eastern coast of the Sellederre Empire from the western coast of the mainland trading lands claimed by the Longsea Trading Company. It supports dozens, if not hundreds of small islands each unique in surprising ways. The majority of these islands are technically disputed lands, though most are useful as little more than a safe haven in times of storms, and so are not strongly contested over. Terrain Salty sprays erupt in fine mists during the hot storms that occasionally visit this region, but otherwise the terrain is calm and peaceful, with little more than stationary islands and sandbanks to see. Climate The shallow waters here are quickly heated by the sun and hot southern currents, making the waters almost heavenly. As such, a rich and vibrant culture of relatively sociable aquatic elves and other marine life have developed between the tiny islands in this region. Hazards Aside from shipwreck, sea-storm, or tropical disease, there are very few dangers to these waters. Occasionally pirates have been known to attack, from both air and sea, but this high number of trading ships in these waters allow for some degree of protection. People Cultures The occasional hermit or colony of like-minded individuals inhabit some of the larger islands, but otherwise few permanent settlements are seen across the Scattered Bay. Frequent cargo and merchants ships travel these waters, however, and as such temporary shelters, trading outposts, and gatherings are not uncommon. Consequently, a loose etiquette has developed. Travel Travel is both easy and safe across and throughout the Scattered Bay. Frequent ships travel along a variety of routes through the island, and in theory one could swim from island to island relatively easily. Diplomacy Peaceful trade reigns these waters, with only the very infrequent dispute amounting in violence. People here follow a loose code of conduct, which allows for most disputes to be easily resolved. History Ancient The scattered bay was once much deeper than it now is. The raising of the Wall of the Gods resulted in the raising of much of the land around that vast mountain range, including the seabed beneath the Scattered Bay. This allowed for significantly easier and safer travel by ship, which eventually allowed easy trade between what was once the souther reaches of the Central Grasslands, and the Sellederre Empire. Recent Following the arrival of the Longsea Trading Company, some thirty years ago, trade across the scattered bay increased dramatically. This was primarily beneficial to the Sellederre Empire, whose shallowed beamed ships were significantly more capable of passing swiftly between the scattered islands than the huge ocean-worthy ships used by the Longsea Trading Company. With the rise in air-ship piracy, pirate sighting across the Scattered Bay has fallen slightly, however, the occasional unprepared trading ship may still find itself vulnerable to attack. Return to Geography Return to Contents Page